Hello there.
August 31st. Summer is ending.
…Or so they say.
Some forecasts claim it’ll stay hot until October, and apparently, we’re shifting from four seasons to just two.
Still, the tradition of wrapping up summer illustrations by the end of August is alive and well.
I’ve long since developed a sentimental attachment to sparklers, but when did that start?
Back in my early 20s, I was goofing around with my hometown friends, bundling together ten Japanese sparklers and lighting them at once—back then, it didn’t feel like much.
Now? That’s a cherished memory. (A sign of my old-man transformation.)
How to play with Japanese sparklers.
When you buy a fireworks set in Japan, Japanese sparklers are included in the set.
Japanese sparklers are usually played last.
After you light it, it burns for a while like this artwork.
After a while, the center part of the sparkler, which is the brightest part, drops off.
You are lucky if it burns for a long time.
That moment when you step outside, the night breeze stops, and suddenly—
I notice the lingering smell of smoke on myself.
I was impressed when I found a goldfish called Edo Nishiki at a tropical fish shop. The type of pattern is said to be “tiger pattern”. It is a dragon with a tiger pattern.
…like Arcimboldo.
Hi there. 
